Apple trees were handed over to a town allotments association in what is hoped to be the beginning of a fruitful partnership.

It is hoped the new alliance in Bridport will encourage the production of local nutritious food. 

Joe Hackett, co-ordinator of Bridport Tree Planting, handed over 10 apple trees to the chairman of Bridport And District Allotments Association, Fiona Dare.

Mr Hackett said that the gift, worth £150, is just the beginning of a 'a good partnership' between the two groups. 

“We hope in the autumn to be able to give more ”food trees” - not just apples but pears, plums, nuts also - to people with allotments.

"We want to do everything we can to encourage production of local nutritious food,” he said.

It’s a new venture for Bridport Tree Planting, which has been in existence since the autumn of 2019.

Previously it gave away or planted in public open spaces native species such as rowan, hazel, hawthorn and birch to help fight climate change and improve biodiversity.

But this year it has planted a few fruit and nut trees on land owned by Bridport Town Council at Flaxhayes, at the north end of St. Swithin’s Road.

Mr Hackett added: “We were originally sponsored by Groves Nursery, who generously gave us a tree or equivalent for every tree they sold - and we were lucky to find a private sponsor who is very keen on trees. We’ve planted or given away close on a thousand native species trees a year and now we can give away some fruit trees too.

“At the end of the planting season we can still give away three non-fruit trees to each household in Bridport.”

For more information, and if you wish to receive Bridport Tree Planting’s newsletter, apply to joe@thehacketts.uk